Automatic apparatus for extinguishing fires in cars and other places



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- 'I. T. DYER.

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN CARS AND OTHER PLACES.

N0 375 3 Patented Dec. 20, 1887.

g. [II I WITNESSES: I l/Vl/ElI/TOR W dmaa W 40? 501 %W- ATTORNEY N. PETERS, Fhnwl-Hhagnphur. Wxlhingion. D. Q

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

1. T. DYER. AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN GARS AND OTHER PLACES.

No. 375,314. Patented Dec. 20; 1887.

WITNESSES ii m ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC '1. DYER, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs.

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN CARS AND OTHER PLACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'PatentN'o. 375,314, dated December 20, 1887.

Application filed July 11, 1887. Serial No. 243,967. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC T. DYER, a citizen of theUnited States, anda resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires on Cars and other Places, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, (two sheets,) illustrating the invention, in which Figure I is a transverse section of an ordinary cab of a locomotive, showing the fire-box and end of the boiler,with myfire-extinguishing devices shown in position for use. Fig. II is an enlarged broken longitudinal vertical sectional elevation of the tank which is to contain the fire-extinguishing material, with vertical longitudinal sections of the valve-chambers, valves, and an elevation of thependulum for operating the valves attached; Fig. III, an elevation of the rear end of the tank, showing the air and water gages-and pipe attachment for supplying the tank with fire-extinguishing material; Fig. IV, a transverse section of Fig. II,

taken vertically through the air-pipes N K on line X; Fig.V, atop or plan view of one valve removed from the valve-chamber; Fig. VI, a cross-section of Fig.V on line Z Fig.VII,Sheet 2, avertical central longitudinal section of one end of a sleeping-car with my devices for extinguishing the fire in a stove in position for use; Fig. VIII, a longitudinal central vertical section of one end of an express or mail car with my devices in position for extinguishing the flame of a lamp; Fig. IX, Sheet 1, an enlarged detail of the pendulum and rod.

This invention relates to novel mechanism for automatically putting out the fire on locomotives, lamps, and stoves of a railroad-car in case of accident.

The nature of theinvention and construction will be fully understood by reference to the following detailed description:

A represents a tank, which may be made in any convenient form to suit the place where it is to be located, the material being of a nature which will not corrode under the action of saltwater. For extinguishing the fire on a locomotive I prefer to place this tank at the inside of the front of the cab S, Fig. I, and above the boiler X; but it may be located in any other place convenient to the fire-box. The tank A possible,to about two-thirds full by means of an ordinary pump and pipe secured to the connection O or otherwise, as most convenient. (See Fig. III.) Then the space a abovethe water is to be filled with air to apressure of from twenty to thirty pounds per squareiuch. The air is put in by means of an air force-pump, I, Fig. I, and a pipe, J, leading therefrom to the tank, the latter being provided with a checkvalve, 1), to retain the air. The air, however,- maybe taken from the air-brakepipe. At Fig. II there are connected with the tank two valvechambers, 13 and B, and in the bottom of the tank are ports a a, which are to be closed by the valves M 0 when the contents of the tank are to be retained. These valves are cylindrical in form and are provided with heads that they may have longitudinal reciprocating and partial rotary reciprocating movements, by means of a crank pistonrod, D P, the rod Pot which is keyed to the heads of the valves and constructed to slide and turn the valves M c in chambers B B. The means for operating the rod D Pconsists of a balland pendulum,0 L, which is hung at its top end by means of a universal ball-and -socket joint, E, and the pendulum L is fitted to work loosely on the crank D by means of a slot, 3, Fig. IX. Those portions of the valves which close the ports a n are shown at c c, and the ports (1 cl (Z d in the valves have areas large enough for liquid to escape when the pendulum moves in any direction. Radial arms 4 4t 4 4 connect the parts c c with the body of the valves, and they are tobe sharpened on their top portions for the free passage of the fluid. This construction is such that assoon as the car is thrown from the track sidewise or endwise the pendulum will bring the ports 01 under the portsn n and allow the liquid in the tank to pass through an opening, R, in the under side of the valve and escape by means of the pipe F, which leads to the interior of the stove of a car or fire-box of a locomotive and instantaneously extinguish the fire. The valve in the chamber B takes air, by means of a pipe, K, from the tank A, and by means of a pipe, N, conducts it to a lamp,V, to blow out the flame, as more clearly shown at Fig. VIII, Sheet 2, where the pipe is represented to be flexible and secured to the car at e e and to the lamp-hanger WV at m, the pendulum being in position as when letting air escape from the tank A.

The pipe K may be located either inside or outside of the tank, only so the top end extends considerably above the water. The rod P operates both halves, and when the pipe F is discharging i nto a stove the pipe N conducts air to a lamp. The tank for a locomotive should hold about forty gallons of salt-water besides the air above, and the pipe leading therefrom may enter through a corner of the furnace-door H,as shown at G, Fig. I. No air attachmentis generally needed on a locomotive, except for the head-1i ght. \Vhere two stoves are employed in a car two tanks will be required; but only one air attachment is required, as one pipe, N, can be made to reach all the lamps. Tanks for putting out fire in astove,Q, may be large enough to furnish extra extinguishing-fluid for ahoscconnection, as shown at Z, Fig.VIII, for use in yards for fires when the cars are standing. In some places on cars the form of the tanks must be changed and some must stand on end; but the result will be the same where the pendulum has room to swing.

I do not confine myself to salt-water as an extinguishing-fluid; but I may charge the Water with ammoniacal and sulphurous gases, or

employ any well-known extinguishing-liquid whose gases are not explosive. Where cars are heated bysteam the lamp-extinguisher can be employed without the use of a liquid.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An automatic apparatus for extinguishing fires on cars and other moving conveyances, consisting of the tank A, in combination with the partially-rotating, reciprocating,and longitudinally-reciprocating cylindrical valve M, provided with a seat, 0, and surrounding ports (I on its top portion, and with an opening, R, in its lower portion,and avalve case, B,crank piston-rod P D, the pendulum L C, for operating the rod, and a pipe, F, leading from the valve-chamber B to a stove or furnace.

2. The combination of the valves M c M a, valve chambers B B, and crank piston-rod P D with the tank A, pipe K, leading from the valve M 0 into the top portion of tank A, a pipe, F, leading from the chamber 13 to a stove or furnace, a pipe, N, leading from chamber B to a lamp, and the weighted pendulum G L, as and for the purpose specified.

ISAAC T. DYER.

Witnesses:

G. L. CIIAPIN, W. F. AKERMAN. 

